John Curley


Conn school shooting
The Connecticut school shooting has John Curley remembering his own painful encounters with mental illness. (AP image)

John Curley: When mental illness hits home

BY Josh Kerns  on December 17, 2012 @ 1:34 pm (Updated: 7:48 am - 12/18/12 )

All of the talk of mental illness surrounding the Connecticut school shooting has opened some pretty painful wounds for KIRO Radio's John Curley, who's seen the impacts hit home.

Curley recounted the painful memories on Monday's Seattle's Morning News. When he was in sixth grade, he got into an argument with his brother and hit him in the mouth. It caused serious damage, and he knew he'd be in big trouble when his father got home. So he ran away and hid in the nearby woods. After some time, his close friend came to comfort him and talk him into coming home.

"She sat quietly, did not judge me. She just simply held my hand and told me things would be okay." It was a moment that still brings tears to Curley's eyes as he recounts her compassion.

20 years later, he would have to comfort her. After learning their parents were divorcing, something happened to her and she "snapped." Curley says she became suicidal and "completely out of her mind."

"This individual graduated from the top of their class in grade school and high school, got a scholarship, went to college, was surrounded by friends and family and was one of the most popular people you'd ever meet," Curley says.

But then things changed. Desperate, his father took her to the family doctor, who was instantly alarmed and recommended she be institutionalized. The family grew even more fearful when she climbed out of his office onto a fourth story ledge, then into another window and declared she had "passed the test."

"She was literally out of her mind," Curley remembers. "This was someone that showed no signs of mental illness, none whatsoever."

It went from bad to worse when his father drove his friend to the hospital. Along the way, she told him she was thirsty and asked her father to stop for a drink at a convenience store. When he did, she locked herself in the car and refused to come out. The Curley's had to call police, who busted into the car and dragged her away.

It was devastating to see. And the painful memories have come rushing in again as Curley contemplates what demons or sickness could have compelled the Connecticut shooter to reach such a desperate and sick place. And tearfully, he's issuing a plea for increased mental health treatment and understanding of the issue.

"You have to realize we are surrounded by people that are very, very complicated and they need our love and respect and it starts in the family. It starts with a brother and a father and a mother, someone has to reach out and we have to be able to respond to one another. That will be the only way."

While there's been plenty of talk about gun control and school security, an emotional Curley says he hopes sharing his own experience will help spark a much greater debate about mental illness.

"If someone in your family needs help, reach out and get it , but start the conversation right now. Because we can't afford to lose another person."

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (6)


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  • messiah101 wrote...
    So Curley fully understands
    December 17, 2012 1:01 pm
    That care for the mentally ill is lacking in this country yet just the other day he called for MORE guns to deter shootings. Sorry Curley but more guns means that the chance of these guns getting into someone who has mental problems is even higher.WE need to solve the mental health problem before more guns are injected into the population
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  • HappyPappy wrote...
    Liberal mental illness, you're all insane!
    December 17, 2012 4:15 pm
    Messiah there you go again, pretending you know the answer to everything or was this another meaningless opinion of yours based on faulty logic. Believe me when I say,I will never surrender my families security to your side or depend on the federal government for it! I will defend my family and my rights from people like you, the government or criminals the way I chose too. To think otherwise is crazy, have you taken your med's today?
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    PAPPy
    December 17, 2012 5:58 pm
    Do the math if your capable what I said was 100% correct. More guns= more violence.Yes 2+2=still equals 4 here on earth. Oh by the way where exactly in my post did I say that you will surrender your familys security or your rights?If you polled the parents of the dead kids do you believe that the results would be that some things need to be changed or would the parents say everything is just fine the way it is?
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  • HappyPappy wrote...
    Better go back to school!
    December 17, 2012 6:56 pm
    Wow if we were doing math you would be correct but your "math" has variables that make 2 + 2 not equal to four. Otherwise your premise is simply faulty and doesn't hold water! The variables are the human being holding the gun. I have more weapons than what you probably think I need but so what and who are you anyway to judge me? From the look of the comments I've seen posted online your side is the one I need to protect my family from and I will!
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  • Forrest wrote...
    That's a step in the right direction John.
    December 17, 2012 1:20 pm
    Now the first thing you have to realize is that 'for profit' medical insurance is never going to pay for mental illness healthcare.
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  • zeezee wrote...
    looking for a motive when someone is mentally ill
    December 18, 2012 6:08 pm
    This morning I agreed with John when he asked why do we have to drag a story like the Adam Lantz killings out for so long? I myself often wonder why do we look for a motive for someone who obviously is so mentally ill to commit such a crazy act? They are crazy. Why is that not enough? I have had to deal with a schizophrenic Mother n Law. Believe me she is not rational. There is no motive. Her mind does not act in a rational manner. I told her once that she was a Grandmother and tried to show her pictures of her granddaughter. She didn't care. She talked about how the sun and moon followed her, and that airplanes shot death rays at her through the television. This is what it is like to discuss rational things with crazy people. Please accept this and move on.
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